Kuwait national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kuwait

Nickname(s)	Al-Azraq (The Blue) Al-Mouj Al-Azraq (The Blue Wave)
Association	Kuwait Football Association
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Juan Antonio Pizzi
Captain	Fahad Al Hajeri
Most caps	Bader Al-Mutawa (196)
Top scorer	Bashar Abdullah (75)
Home stadium	Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium
FIFA code	KUW
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	158 (7 February 2019)
Highest	24 (December 1998)
Lowest	189 (December 2017)
Elo ranking
Current	97 (3 March 2019)
Highest	28 (September 1980)
Lowest	136 (April 1966)
First international
Kuwait 2–2 Libya  (Morocco; 3 September 1961)
Biggest win
Kuwait 20–0 Bhutan  (Kuwait City, Kuwait; 14 February 2000)
Biggest defeat
United Arab Republic 8–0 Kuwait  (Morocco; 4 September 1961)  Portugal 8–0 Kuwait  (Leiria, Portugal; 19 November 2003)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 1982)
Best result	Group stage (1982)
Asian Cup
Appearances	11 (first in 1972)
Best result	Champions (1980)
Arab Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1963)
Best result	Third place (1964, 1992, 1998)
Arabian Gulf Cup
Appearances	25 (first in 1970)
Best result	Champions (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2010)

The Kuwait national football team (Arabic: منتخب الكويت لكرة القدم) represents the country of Kuwait in international football games. The Kuwait Football Association controls the team.

Kuwait's team is known as Al-Azraq, which means "The Blue". They have played in the FIFA World Cup only once, in 1982. They earned one point in that tournament. In the Asian Cup, Kuwait reached the final in 1976 and won the whole tournament in 1980.

In 2000, Kuwait beat Bhutan 20–0. At that time, this was the biggest win ever in international football! However, Australia later broke this record in 2001 by beating American Samoa 31–0.

From the 1970s to the 2000s, Kuwait was one of the strongest football teams in Asia. But their strength started to decrease after 2010. They missed out on recent Asian Cups and haven't reached a World Cup since 1982.

History of Kuwaiti Football

Early Victories

Kuwait's first international match was in 1961 against Libya. It ended in a 2–2 draw. Their biggest loss was 8–0 against the United Arab Republic in the same tournament.

Kuwait hosted the 1974 Gulf Cup and won their third title in a row. They also won the Asian Cup in 1980. Kuwait's team joined the World Cup in 1982 in Spain. They finished fourth in their group after losing to England and France, and drawing with Czechoslovakia.

Kuwait's highest ever FIFA ranking was 24th place in December 1998. Bader Al-Mutawa has played the most games for Kuwait. Bashar Abdullah has scored the most goals. Kuwait has won the Arabian Gulf Cup ten times, making them the most successful team in that competition.

Some of Kuwait's best players from 1970 to 1990 include Jasem Yaqoub, Faisal Al-Dakhil, and Saad Al-Houti.

Challenges and Comebacks

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 greatly affected the team. Football activities stopped, and many players had to leave the country. The Kuwait Football Association buildings were damaged. This meant the national team could not play in the 1990 Asian Games or the 1992 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

Despite these problems, the team showed great spirit. In 1994, Kuwait won the Arabian Gulf Cup. They also reached the quarter-finals of the 1996 AFC Asian Cup. This showed how strong and determined they were to rebuild their football success.

FIFA Suspensions

Sometimes, football teams can be suspended by FIFA, the world football body. This happened to Kuwait three times because of government interference in their football association.

• In 2007, Kuwait was suspended for less than two weeks.
• In 2008, they were suspended again, but the ban was lifted after two months.
• The longest suspension happened in 2015. FIFA did not like a new sports law in Kuwait. This ban lasted until December 2017. Because of this, Kuwait missed the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Their FIFA ranking dropped from 139th to 189th place.

After the ban was lifted, Kuwait hosted the 2017 Gulf Cup. This was a big moment for the team and the country.

Recent Progress

Kuwait has been working hard to rebuild its team. In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, they finished second in their group. This was their best qualification result since 2006.

In June 2023, Kuwait played as a guest team in the 2023 SAFF Championship. They reached the final but lost to India in a penalty shootout.

In June 2024, Kuwait qualified for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup! This was a big achievement after nine years of not qualifying. They also moved into the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Recently, in September 2024, the Kuwait Football Association board resigned after issues at a World Cup qualifier. Fans faced extreme heat, and some couldn't get into the stadium. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.

Team Look and Home Ground

Kit and Emblem

The Kuwait national football team wears blue kits when they play at home. This blue color represents Kuwait's connection to the sea and the Arabian Gulf. The team's emblem features a falcon, which is a national symbol of Kuwait. Adidas has been making Kuwait's kits since 2023.

Period	Kit Provider
1980–1991	Puma
1992–1997	Grand Sport
1997–2001	Kelme
2001–2002	Umbro
2003–2008	Saller
2009–2011	Burrda
2012–2013	Kappa
2014–2015	Uhlsport
2017–2022	Erreà
2023–	Adidas

Stadium

Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium

The Kuwait national football team plays most of its home games at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. This stadium was finished in 2009. Before that, they played at Mohammed Al-Hamed Stadium. They also sometimes use Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium and Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah Stadium.

Media Coverage

You can watch Kuwait's matches on Kuwait TV Sport, beIN Sports, and Dubai Sports. These channels show special events like the Gulf Cup or Asian Cup.

Team Rivalries

Football rivalries are when two teams have a long history of strong competition.

Kuwait vs. Iraq

Statistics vs.  Iraq Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA 35 8 9 17 34 48 1. Only matches recognized by FIFA. 2. Wins for Kuwait.

The rivalry between Iraq and Kuwait was once considered the greatest in Arab football. From 1976 to 1986, both teams were very strong. They often competed for the Gulf Cup. Kuwait won it seven times, and Iraq won it three times.

One famous match was in the 1976 Asian Cup semi-final. Kuwait won in extra time. Both teams also qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games and reached the quarter-finals. Kuwait qualified for the 1982 World Cup, and Iraq qualified for the 1986 World Cup.

After the Gulf War, Iraq and Kuwait did not play each other for over ten years. Kuwait later won the Gulf Cup in 1996, 1998, and 2010. Iraq won the 2007 Asian Cup.

Kuwait vs. Saudi Arabia

Statistics vs.  Saudi Arabia Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA 42 15 13 15 44 44 1. Only matches recognized by FIFA. 2. Wins for Kuwait.

The football rivalry between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is also very old and important in the Gulf region. These matches are always exciting for fans.

Kuwait was very strong in the 1970s and 1980s. They won the 1980 AFC Asian Cup and were the first Arab nation to play in the FIFA World Cup in 1982. Famous players like Jassem Yaqoub and Faisal Al-Dakhil helped Kuwait achieve these successes.

Saudi Arabia became strong in the late 1980s and 1990s. They qualified for the World Cup many times starting in 1994. They also won the AFC Asian Cup three times. Great players like Majed Abdullah and Sami Al-Jaber played for Saudi Arabia.

In the 1980 Gulf Cup final, Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia 3-1. In the 1998 Gulf Cup, Saudi Arabia won. Another important match was in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where Saudi Arabia won 1-0 to help them qualify for the World Cup.

Recent Matches

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

Here are some of Kuwait's recent football matches:

2023 Matches

• November 21: Kuwait beat Afghanistan 4–0 in a World Cup qualifier.

2024 Matches

• January 12: Kuwait lost to Libya 3–1 in a friendly game.
• January 19: Kuwait lost to Uganda 2–0 in another friendly.
• March 21: Kuwait lost to Qatar 3–0 in a World Cup qualifier.
• March 26: Kuwait lost to Qatar again, 2–1, in a World Cup qualifier.
• June 6: Kuwait drew 0–0 with India in a World Cup qualifier.
• June 11: Kuwait won 1–0 against Afghanistan in a World Cup qualifier.
• September 5: Kuwait drew 1–1 with Jordan in a World Cup qualifier.
• September 10: Kuwait drew 0–0 with Iraq in a World Cup qualifier.
• October 10: Kuwait lost 4–0 to Oman in a World Cup qualifier.
• October 15: Kuwait drew 2–2 with Palestine in a World Cup qualifier.
• November 14: Kuwait lost 3–1 to South Korea in a World Cup qualifier.
• November 19: Kuwait drew 1–1 with Jordan in a World Cup qualifier.

Coaching Staff

This table shows the current coaches and staff for the Kuwait national football team.

Name	Role
Head Coach	Juan Antonio Pizzi
Assistant Coach
Goalkeeper Coach	Hernan Castellano
Fitness Coach	Alejandro Caro
Match Analyst
Team Doctor
Physiotherapist
Masseur
Sports Trainer
Technical Director

Current Players

The following players were chosen for the World Cup qualification matches in November 2024.

Caps and goals are updated as of November 19, 2024, after the game against Jordan.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Khaled Al-Rashidi	(1987-04-20) 20 April 1987 (age 38)	27	0	Al-Qadsia
	1GK	Abdulrahman Kameel	(2001-03-08) 8 March 2001 (age 24)	9	0	Al-Kuwait
22	1GK	Ahmed Aid Al-Khaldi	(1989-03-28) 28 March 1989 (age 36)	1	0	Al-Fahaheel
23	1GK	Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli	(2001-03-23) 23 March 2001 (age 24)	0	0	Al-Salmiya
5	2DF	Fahad Al-Hajeri	(1991-11-10) 10 November 1991 (age 33)	87	6	Al-Kuwait
4	2DF	Khalid El Ebrahim	(1992-08-28) 28 August 1992 (age 32)	50	3	Al-Qadsia
12	2DF	Hamad Al-Harbi	(1992-07-25) 25 July 1992 (age 32)	37	0	Kazma
2	2DF	Sami Al-Sanea	(1993-01-09) 9 January 1993 (age 32)	27	1	Al-Kuwait
3	2DF	Meshari Ghanem	(1998-09-15) 15 September 1998 (age 26)	16	0	Al-Kuwait
13	2DF	Rashed Al-Dousari	(2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 24)	15	0	Al-Qadsia
21	2DF	Hassan Al-Enezi	(2000-09-01) 1 September 2000 (age 24)	19	0	Al-Arabi
16	2DF	Muath Al-Dhefiri	(1997-05-20) 20 May 1997 (age 28)	4	0	Al-Qadsia
	2DF	Nasser Khader		0	0	Al-Nasr
10	3MF	Faisal Zayid	(1991-10-09) 9 October 1991 (age 33)	64	7	Al-Kuwait
8	3MF	Ahmed Al-Dhefiri	(1992-01-09) 9 January 1992 (age 33)	64	5	Al-Kuwait
6	3MF	Sultan Al-Enezi	(1992-09-29) 29 September 1992 (age 32)	60	0	Dhofar
11	3MF	Eid Al-Rashidi	(1999-05-25) 25 May 1999 (age 26)	45	3	Al-Qadsia
	3MF	Redha Hani	(1996-04-22) 22 April 1996 (age 29)	38	1	Al-Kuwait
14	3MF	Fawaz Ayedh	(1997-02-21) 21 February 1997 (age 28)	29	1	Al-Salmiya
18	3MF	Athbi Shehab	(1993-10-14) 14 October 1993 (age 31)	18	1	Al-Qadsia
	3MF	Hussain Ashkanani	(2002-01-26) 26 January 2002 (age 23)	6	0	Al-Arabi
	3MF	Muath Al-Enezi	(2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 21)	5	0	Al-Salmiya
19	3MF	Abdelmohsen Al-Ajmi	(1998-04-09) 9 April 1998 (age 27)	2	0	Al-Fahaheel
20	4FW	Yousef Nasser	(1990-10-09) 9 October 1990 (age 34)	114	52	Al-Kuwait
7	4FW	Mohammad Daham	(2000-02-17) 17 February 2000 (age 25)	18	5	Al-Kuwait
17	4FW	Ali Khalaf	(1995-01-16) 16 January 1995 (age 30)	17	1	Al-Arabi
9	4FW	Salman Al-Awadhi	(2001-05-21) 21 May 2001 (age 24)	11	0	Al-Arabi
15	4FW	Yousef Majed	(2005-01-14) 14 January 2005 (age 20)	5	0	Al-Arabi
	4FW	Montaser Al-Abdulsalam	(2005-05-17) 17 May 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Kazma
	4FW	Khaled Al-Kharqawi	(2006-09-12) 12 September 2006 (age 18)	0	0	Al-Kuwait

Team Records

Most Games Played

Bader Al-Mutawa is Kuwait's most capped player with 196 appearances.

This table shows the players who have played the most games for Kuwait. Players in bold are still playing for the national team.

Top Goalscorers

This table shows the players who have scored the most goals for Kuwait.

Tournament History

FIFA World Cup

Kuwait has played in the FIFA World Cup once.

FIFA World Cup record										FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1962	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
1966 to 1970	Did not enter									Did not enter
1974	Did not qualify									6	1	1	4	4	8
1978										12	8	1	3	23	10
1982	First group stage	21st	3	0	1	2	2	6		9	7	1	1	20	6
1986	Did not qualify									4	2	1	1	8	2
1990										4	3	0	1	6	3
1994										6	3	2	1	21	4
1998										12	6	2	4	17	9
2002										6	4	1	1	9	3
2006										12	6	1	5	19	15
2010										6	1	1	4	8	12
2014										8	4	2	2	13	10
2018	Disqualified due to FIFA suspension									8	3	1	4	12	10
2022	Did not qualify									8	4	2	2	19	7
2026	Qualification in progress									7	2	2	3	7	7
2030										To be decided
2034
Total	First group stage	1/15	3	0	1	2	2	6	108	54	18	36	186	106

AFC Asian Cup

Kuwait has won the AFC Asian Cup once.

AFC Asian Cup record										AFC Asian Cup qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1956	Not a AFC member									Not a AFC member
1960
1964
1968	Withdrew									Withdrew
1972	Group stage	5th	3	2	0	1	4	5		5	2	2	1	6	4
1976	Runners-up	2nd	4	3	0	1	6	3		Qualified by default
1980	Champions	1st	6	4	1	1	13	6		Qualified as hosts
1984	Third place	3rd	6	2	2	2	5	4		Qualified as defending champions
1988	Group stage	7th	4	0	3	1	2	3		4	3	1	0	9	0
1992	Did not qualify									2	1	0	1	4	3
1996	Fourth place	4th	6	2	2	2	9	7		4	2	2	0	9	5
2000	Quarter-finals	6th	4	1	2	1	3	3		4	4	0	0	33	1
2004	Group stage	10th	3	1	0	2	3	7		6	5	1	0	17	5
2007	Did not qualify									4	1	1	2	3	4
2011	Group stage	14th	3	0	0	3	1	7		6	2	3	1	6	5
2015		15th	3	0	0	3	1	6		6	2	3	1	10	7
2019	Disqualified due to FIFA suspension									8	3	1	4	12	10
2023	Did not qualify									11	5	2	4	24	13
2027	Qualified									6	2	1	3	6	6
Total	Best: Champions	11/19	42	15	10	17	47	51		66	32	17	17	139	63

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

**Gold background means the tournament was won. Red border means the tournament was held in Kuwait.

Arabian Gulf Cup

Kuwait has won the Arabian Gulf Cup ten times, more than any other team!

Year	Host Country	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1970	Bahrain	Champions	3	3	0	0	10	4
1972	Saudi Arabia	Champions	3	2	1	0	14	2
1974	Kuwait	Champions	4	4	0	0	16	0
1976	Qatar	Champions	7	5	2	0	26	7
1979	Iraq	Runners-up	6	4	1	1	15	4
1982	UAE	Champions	5	4	0	1	8	2
1984	Oman	Sixth place	6	1	2	3	4	8
1986	Bahrain	Champions	6	5	1	0	11	4
1988	Saudi Arabia	Fifth place	6	1	2	3	3	4
1990	Kuwait	Champions	4	3	1	0	10	2
1992	Qatar	Fifth place	5	2	0	3	5	8
1994	UAE	Fifth place	5	1	1	3	2	6
1996	Oman	Champions	5	4	0	1	7	4
1998	Bahrain	Champions	5	4	0	1	18	5
2002	Saudi Arabia	Fourth place	5	1	2	2	4	6
2003-04	Kuwait	Sixth place	6	1	2	3	6	9
2004	Qatar	Fourth place	5	2	1	2	7	7
2007	UAE	Group stage	3	0	1	2	4	6
2009	Oman	Semi-finals	4	1	2	1	2	2
2010	Yemen	Champions	5	3	2	0	7	2
2013	Bahrain	Third place	5	3	0	2	9	3
2014	Saudi Arabia	Group stage	3	1	1	1	3	7
2017-18	Kuwait	Group stage	3	0	1	2	1	3
2019	Qatar	Group stage	3	1	0	2	6	7
2023	Iraq	Group stage	3	1	1	1	2	3
2024-25	Kuwait	Qualified
Total	25/25	Best: Champions	115	57	24	34	200	115

Team Achievements

Continental Awards

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Champions (1): 1980
  • Runners-up (1): 1976
  • Third place (1): 1984
• Asian Games
  • Silver medal: 1982, 1998
  • Bronze medal: 1986, 1994

Regional Awards

• Arab Cup
  • Third place (3): 1964, 1992, 1998
• Arab Games
  • Bronze medal (2): 1992, 2011
• Arabian Gulf Cup
  • Champions (10): 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2010
  • Runners-up (1): 1979
  • Third place (1): 2013, 2002
• West Asian Games
  • Gold medal (1): 2002
  • Bronze medal (1): 1997
• WAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2010
• SAFF Championship
  • Runners-up (1): 2023

Friendly Tournament Wins

• Focus International Cup
  • Champions (1): 2011
• Merdeka Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 1973

Summary of Honours

Competition				Total
AFC Asian Cup	1	1	1	3
Asian Games	0	1	1	2
WAFF Championship	1	0	0	1
Arab Cup	0	0	3	3
Arabian Gulf Cup	10	1	1	12
West Asian Games	1	0	1	2
Arab Games	0	0	2	2
SAFF Championship	0	1	0	1
Total	13	4	9	26

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Kuwait para niños